Malted Cake Brownies with Cocoa Cream Cheese Frosting

I’m itching for a change. Part of it might be the winter blues. You see, I think I’m having bike ride withdrawal. I need patio beers, and grilled dinners. I’d like to walk to get ice cream, and wear maxi dresses, and be more freckled.

But for now, I’ll brownie. Because there’s something therapeutic about chopping chocolate, and something even better about eating chocolate. And while these baked my kitchen was cozy warm and smelled dreamy.

The moral of the story is this: at least there are brownies. Even if my day involves eating lunch standing in the kitchen with my winter coat on. It might be winter, but at least there is chocolate.

Malted Cake Brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Brownie recipe adapted from A Cozy Kitchen;
Frosting recipe adapted  from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Ingredients:

brownies –

• 3/4 cup malted milk powder
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 t kosher salt
• 1/4 t baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup chopped whoppers or malted milk balls, divided

chocolate cream cheese frosting –

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 5 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 T malted milk powder
• 1 t vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• 5 oz. cream cheese, cold

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Spray your baking dish with cooking spray. (8-inch square or 10 by 6 inch rectangle) and line  with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray again.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the malt powder, brown sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, vanilla and oil.
3. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until no dry patches remain. Fold in 1/4 cup chopped whoppers and pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup more chopped whoppers. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Alternately pop the brownies in the fridge to cool.
4. Make Frosting by beating together the confectioners’ sugar, butter, cocoa powder, malt powder, vanilla and salt until mixed thoroughly. It will be crumbly and dry. Add the cold cream cheese all at once and beat on medium for 5 minutes until lightened in color and smooth. Don’t beat too long, or it can quickly become runny.
5. Once brownies are completely cool, frost with the cocoa cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped whoppers. Slice and serve!

Yay! Click HERE for a printable pdf of the recipes above.

This is me trying to eat just this little lady-like bite-size brownie.